


so hear me out, you're the cure

by reformedcharacter



Series: i've gone weak and i'm sick of speakin' [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aftercare, Domestic, Fluff, M/M, like it Happened but not graphically if ya feel, literally nothing but aftercare, vague smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-03
Updated: 2018-07-03
Packaged: 2019-06-04 19:57:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15154508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reformedcharacter/pseuds/reformedcharacter
Summary: “Robert, I’m so sorry.” Aaron gulps around the lump now formed in his throat, but Robert just scrunches his face somewhat, a small frown appearing between his creased eyebrows.“What about?” He mumbles, reaching over to grab at the hand Aaron is still absentmindedly trailing over him. He intertwines their fingers and lays it to rest by his side, his grip firm.“Robert, your back, it must be killing you. Shit.” His voice is raising slightly, the otherwise hush of the room broken by his ramblings.or, i got angry about the lack of aftercare fics in this fandom and this was the result





	so hear me out, you're the cure

They fall apart with a creak of the bed. The springs in the mattress groaning in protest against their weight and the headboard hitting the wall with a bang. Aaron’s hair is stuck to his forehead; dark brown curls almost black as they reach out in every direction. The mop of hair atop Robert’s head in much the same fashion, tufts of blonde pulled out of place by Aaron’s grasping fingers. 

There’s a shine over the both of them, their flushed red skin sticky with sweat as they pant almost in unison. Their chests rise and fall heavily as they’re bodies gasp for breath. 

“That was good.” Robert mumbles, voice quiet, his face pushed into the off-white pillow below his head. 

Aaron exhales loudly, a small laugh escaping his lips as he looks over at his husband, hair ruffling against the pillows, heart still thudding heavily in his chest. Robert’s ruined, Aaron realises, his skin a bright crimson with small patches of pale white peeking from underneath. There’s a mark underneath his jaw, and a faint trail of red marks trailing down to his adam’s apple; small purple blemishes that will soon transform into a violent blotch of bruised skin. 

With a grunt, Aaron turns onto his side, coming face to face with Robert, his hand reaches across the gap between them and rests his hands against Robert’s side. He softly rubs his thumb in circles against his hot skin. A faint smile growing on Robert’s otherwise exhausted face. His eyes are scrunched closed, eyelashes flickering against his cheeks. 

“You alright?” Aaron murmurs quietly, his thumb now rubbing larger circles against Robert’s skin. He shuffles slightly, a barely audible groan falling from his lips as Aaron sits up slowly, kicking the heavy duvet towards the end of the bed. His hand stays rested on Robert, but he grips slightly harder, a muffled whimper filling the otherwise silent room. 

“Robert?” He shuffles slightly, his legs crossed underneath him awkwardly as he looks down at his husband. Only then does he notice Robert’s back; angry red scratches trail down the length of him, rough and jagged heading towards the back of his legs. Specks of blood rising to the surface of the deep scratches made by Aaron’s short, and stubby fingernails. There’s a bruise at the base of his spine, a large purple patch of skin a stark reminder of their previous activities. 

“Holy shit.” The words tumble out of him before he realises, and he runs his hand lightly against Robert’s back, soft touches trailing against the marks with featherlight touches. 

Robert huffs out a small chuckle, and his eyes finally flicker open. 

“Robert, I’m so sorry.” Aaron gulps around the lump now formed in his throat, but Robert just scrunches his face somewhat, a small frown appearing between his creased eyebrows. 

“What about?” He mumbles, reaching over to grab at the hand Aaron is still absentmindedly trailing over him. He intertwines their fingers and lays it to rest by his side, his grip firm. 

“Robert, your  _ back,  _ it must be killing you.  _ Shit.”  _ His voice is raising slightly, the otherwise hush of the room broken by his ramblings. Before Robert can begin to stop him, Aaron springs upwards; tugging his hand out of Robert’s grasp and rushing to the side of the room. Robert squints against the darkness, the streetlights outside doing nothing to illuminate their bedroom, only bathing it in a faint yellow light, to see Aaron haphazardly pulling his boxers over his knees. Their discarded clothes scattered across the floor. 

“What are you doing?” Robert pulls himself upwards with a wince, a sharp pain shooting up him as he rests against the headboard, his eyes falling shut once again. He hears Aaron clambering to collect their clothes of the floor, and chucks them into the hamper in the corner, yet he still doesn’t reply to him. 

“ _ Aaron. _ ” He says, louder this time, and jolts Aaron out of his haze. Robert’s eyes open in time to see Aaron gulp harshly. 

“What’s wrong?”

The shirt Aaron’s holding in a tight grip falls limp, and falls slowly to the floor, Aaron’s attention now firmly on the spot of wallpaper above Robert’s head. Robert simply raises his eyebrows and waits. 

There’s a long pause before Aaron finally sighs; Robert expects him to come back to him on the bed but his feet remain firmly planted on the wooden floor. 

“I hurt you.” Aaron’s voice is quiet, barely loud enough to reach Robert’s ears, but it does. 

The look on Aaron’s face throws a punch at Robert’s gut. His mouth is downturned and guilty as he shuffles on his feet, eyes almost absent as they dart around the room. 

“Yeah.” Robert attempts to sit up straighter, but the sharp pain shooting up his back forces him to release a loud gasp.

The noise seems to snap Aaron out of his trance as he stumbles his way over to Robert’s side of the bed. He reaches out and lays a hand gently against Robert’s cheek, his touch barely noticeable as his fingers trace his skin faintly. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Aaron mumbles, he pulls his lip underneath his teeth, harshly biting at the fragile skin.

“ _ Aaron. _ ” Robert whispers and waits for Aaron’s eyes to reach his, “I asked you to.” 

“I know, but, Robert,” He gulps again, “It looks so bad.” 

Robert shrugs his shoulders a fraction, “Yeah, and I’m exhausted and it will probably ache for a while, but I  _ wanted  _ it. I  _ enjoyed  _ it. And I know you did too.” He raises his eyebrows again, and a grin falls across Robert’s lips, a similar one growing on Aaron’s face too. The guilt coursing through him appears to drain out of him, leaving him tired and his shoulders bent forward. 

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, as long as you’re sure you’re alright?”

“Oh, I am more than just alright. On cloud nine, right now.” 

They both snicker, and Aaron’s fingers travel slowly to Robert’s ear, tucking a damp tuft of hair behind it. He leans in closer, and presses a chaste kiss against Robert’s, still flushed, cheek. As he pulls back slightly Robert follows, their noses brushing together softly before Aaron pulls back further. 

“Come on, then.” 

Robert’s face scrunches in confusion, “What?” 

“You, Mr Dingle, are going to have a bubble bath.”

Robert laughs loudly, “Oh, am I? Only if you’ll join me too, Mr Sugden.”

Aaron stands and reaches for Robert’s hand, tugging him up gently. 

He rolls his eyes and steps closer to Robert, pressing another gentle kiss to the side of Robert’s face, “Don’t push your luck.”

  
  
  


\--

  
  
  


The bathroom is full of hot steam by the time Robert lowers himself into the bath, his hand gently gripping Aaron’s as the hot water stings his skin. The smell of lavender and something Robert can’t quite figure out fills the air, Aaron going somewhat overboard on the bath bombs, the bubbles in the water threatening to spill over the sides of the bath. 

“Are you okay?” Aaron stands to his left, clad only in his boxers, a worried look crosses over his face once again. 

“I’m  _ fine,  _ now get in.” 

Robert shuffles forward slightly, the water rippling around him as Aaron tugs his boxers off, tossing them to the tiled floor and stepping into the water, settling in behind Robert. Aaron’s arms reach around Robert’s waist, and he pulls him backwards, Robert’s back nestled close to Aaron’s chest. 

“You alright?” He mumbles, his face pressed into Robert’s hair. 

He nods slightly, “In heaven, me.” 

Aaron snorts a laugh and presses his face further into his hair, wrapping his arms around even tighter. Roberts hand grazes over the top of the bubbles, the white foam coating his fingers before his hand falls and he splashes the water loudly.

He pushes himself down in the water, shuffling forward and resting his head lower against Aaron’s chest, the broad span of muscle soft underneath him. He tucks his head under Aaron’s chin, his husband’s beard, shorter that normal, rubs against him as Aaron lowers himself down too, the pair of them flushed together, laying in the bubbles. 

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” Aaron whispers, scattering small pecks to the side of his cheek with closed lips.

“I’ve told you, don’t be. We’re doing that again.” Robert moves his head slightly and rests it on Aaron’s shoulder, his nose tucked into the base of his neck. He lets out a sigh, breath hot against Aaron’s skin. “I love you, so much.” 

“I love you more.”

  
  
  


\--

  
  
  


Robert’s laying in bed when the door loudly creaks open, the duvet pulled to his chest and hair flat on top of his head as Aaron’s socked feet tap against the hardwood floor. His hairs not fully dry yet, short curls still too dark and curling in every direction as he steps towards the bed. 

Robert puts his phone down to the side, the instagram screen fading to black, as Aaron sits next to him, the two teas in his hands almost brimming over the side of the porcelain as he gets comfortable in the, fortunately now dry, sheets. He passes over a mug to Robert, the tea steaming hot and pale with milk and, if Robert knows his husband, heaps of sugar. 

“Thank you.” He murmurs, bringing the hot liquid to his lips, and yeah, there’s the sugar. 

Aaron grabs the edge of the duvet and tosses it over him, the fabric pooling in his lap as he takes a sip of his own. It’s darker outside now, the stars bright against the black sky, but Robert turned on the lamp when Aaron went downstairs and a yellow light now washes over the pair of them as they quietly drink. 

Robert looks over to Aaron, whose eyes stare blankly ahead of him as he drinks loudly. 

“When did we get so  _ married? _ ” He whispers, a broad smile on his face.

Aaron turns to him, and smiles so wide that Robert’s breath catches in his throat. 

“I don’t know, but I like it.”

Robert takes another drink and reaches over to grab Aaron’s hand on top of the duvet. 

“Me too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> my tumblr is @frecklysugden for any feedback!


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